Manage What Matters: The Pareto Principle, ABC Analysis and How to Manage by Exception, sponsored by Demand Solutions

In all likelihood the phrase “the law of the vital few” has never been heard in a baseball clubhouse. But when baseball managers apply exceptional tactics to defend against exceptional opponents (Ryan Howard and Albert Pujols, just to name two), they are managing by exception.

Most managers have a good sense of their companies’ best-selling products. What’s often surprising, however, is how dramatically sales are concentrated – with 80% or more of a company’s sales coming from 10-20% of their products or customers.

Just as baseball managers adjust their strategy to deal with exceptional performers, successful business managers adapt their plans and tactics to optimize performance.